Letter-box



(No Model.)

B. M. BOYNTON. LETTER BOX.

No. 439,631; Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

nun-L iill UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBEN MOODY BOYNTON, OF \VEST NEWBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,631, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed December 3, 1889. Serial No. 332,737. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EBEN MOODY Bov NTON, of West Newbury, county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Street letter-boxes of the present style are not only offensive to the eye, but are quite unsuited to postal requirements, inasmuch as they are suitable only for the reception'of letters and postal-cards.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved letter-box for street-service; and the invention consists of a hollow column or pedestal surmounted with a partitioned box that is provided with suitable openings for the introduction of both letters and packages, that section of the box proper which is designed for receiving letters having a closed bottom, while that section designed for packages opens into the pedestal; and the invention further consists of a stop device within the pedestal for breaking the fall of the packages, and thereby preventing their possible defacement; and it also embraces other novel devices, all of which will be hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specifica' tion, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved letter-box. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line a b, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 0 cl, Fi 3.

The box proper is divided into two compartments A B, respectively, by a vertical partition A, shown in Figs. 3 and a, the compartment A being designed for letters and thecompartment B for packages. The lower end of the partition A is inclined toward the front of the compartment A to direct the introduced letters toward the door 0 thereof, and the bottom of said compartment is closed, as best shown atf, Fig. 3. The compartment B, however, has no bottom, but opens into the hollow pedestal B, on which the box proper is mounted.

The letters to be mailed are designed to be introduced into the compartment A through the slot g and to be withdrawn through the door 0, which is hinged, as indicated at h h,

Fig. 1, and is designed to be provided with a look, as indicated by the keyhole at Z,Fig. 1. In this door 0 a dial 0 is set, the hands of which may be turned by the operator when the door is opened, to indicate the time when the contents of the box will next be collected.

Newspapers and packages are designed to be introduced into the compartment 13 through the slot d, (shown in Fig. 3,) and their fall into the receptacle B is broken by a shelf G, that is secured within the said pedestal in a horizontal position by a springhinge H, said shelf or stop being designed to yield under the weight of a newspaper or pamphlet to permit it to fall below and to then return it to its normal position. One or more of these shelves or stops may be applied, though in this instance but one is shown.

The packages, 850., are to be collected from the pedestal through a door F, the key of which will be in the care of the mail-carrier.

This letter-box is especially intended for street-service, but will be found convenient and useful in office-buildings and hotels, and may be so ornamentally designed as to be pleasing to the eye in any locality.

I am aware of the United States Patent No. 167,312, and do not claim a mechanically-operated dial.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A letter-box constructed, substantially as herein shown and described, with a hollow pedestal B, provided with spring-actuated shelf or stop G and door F, boxes A B surmounting said pedestal and internally separated by vertical partition A, the box or compartment A being closed at the bottom above the pedestal and provided with an entranceslot and a withdrawing-door, which latter carries a dial, and the compartment B being rovided with an entrance-slot and opening at the bottom into the pedestal, which forms a continuation of said compartment B, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of November, 1889.

E. MOODY BOYNTON.

Witnesses:

J'AooB J. SToRnR, JOHN D. MILLER, J r. 

